Antigonish, NS – STFX X-Men Basketball head coach Tyrell Vernon has been named the head coach of the Calgary Surge of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) for the upcoming summer season.
"I am excited for the opportunity and challenge," comments Coach Vernon. "To be the head basketball coach of STFX and the Calgary Surge in the CEBL is something I could have never imagined, and I hope to make both organizations proud."
The CEBL is Canada's largest professional sports league and the only professional basketball league in North America affiliated with FIBA, the world governing body for basketball, and Canada Basketball. A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 73% of its 2023 rosters being Canadian. CEBL players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The CEBL season runs from May through August.
This season will mark the sixth season of competition for the CEBL. Coach Vernon was also involved in the league last summer as an assistant coach with the Scarborough Shooting Stars where he was part of the organization that won the league championship. In Calgary he will be fortunate to have a pair of current X-Men on his roster as guard Dondre Reddick was recently drafted by the Surge and forward Deon Ejim returns for his second season with the team. Former X-Men head coach Steve Konchalski is also part of the Surge organization serving as the team's senior advisor.
Coach Vernon recently wrapped up his third season behind the helm of the X-Men basketball team, having served as an associate coach for one year prior. He guided them to a 12-8 record atop the AUS standings and a berth in the conference championship game where his team narrowly lost out to Dalhousie in overtime. Vernon's X-Men were the 2023 AUS champions and U SPORTS silver medalists and he garnered honours as the 2023 AUS Coach of the Year. Over the past three seasons, Coach Vernon has amassed a 45-20 record in regular season and AUS/U SPORTS playoff games, along with a 72-24 career record including non-conference games.
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